Bar None: A Sidecar With a Zesty Twist of Calamansi, Dalandan, and Dayap
Welcome to Bar None, where Robb Report Philippines delves into the world of wines, spirits, and everything in between. From vineyards to distilleries, classic cocktails to bold new creations, we uncover the flavors, traditions, and techniques that make every drink unforgettable.
In this episode—and throughout the four-part launch of Bar None—award-winning mixologist Arcadius Rybak reimagines classic cocktails with a Filipino twist, using local ingredients he has come to love. Cheers!
To watch Episode 1: The Tommy’s Margarita Gets a Bold, Sour Kick from This Surprising Local Fruit, click here. To watch Episode 2: The Bramble Meets Bignay, click here.
The sidecar is truly a classic drink in every sense, with a little lore, a little mystery, and a lot of turn-of-the-20th-century attitude. It was invented around the time of World War I, and Harry MacElhone of Harry’s New York Bar is widely acknowledged to have created the cocktail. Yet, even MacElhone himself gave credit to Pat MacGarry of a certain Buck’s Club in London (Harry’s is in Paris) in his 1922 edition of “The ABC of Cocktails.” But in subsequent editions, he seems to have been contented with giving himself the credit.
In any case, an even more intriguing mystery is the origin of the name “sidecar” itself. Some stories cite that the person for whom it was first made always arrived in a sidecar, a vehicle popular in those days; some others say it’s called so because the glass is sugared on only one side; and yet Dale DeGroff, author of the book “The Craft of Cocktail,” says it simply references the drink left in the shaker after straining, which is then poured into a shot glass and served on the side.
“For this sidecar recipe, I used a blend of calamansi, dalandan, and dayap juice,” says Arcadius Rybak. As the former Director of Bars Asia-Pacific for Rosewood Hotels, he played a key role in elevating Darkside, the brand’s flagship bar in Hong Kong, to global recognition. Now based in the Philippines, he leads his own consultancy, Good Vibes Only, sharing his expertise across the industry and continuing his signature of reimagining classic cocktails by mixing in Filipino ingredients. “It makes it a little sweeter, more fruity,” he says. Whatever the origins are of the drink, here we add another plot twist—a Filipino, citrusy twist, that is.
Watch the video:
Recipe:
45ml cognacCognacA brandy distilled from white wine grapes in the Cognac region of France and aged in oak, graded by age categories such as VS, VSOP, and XO. Prestigious houses produceGo to Cognac Glossary
30ml triple sec or Cointreau
15ml blend of calamansi, dayap, and dalandan juice
Prepare a coupe, cocktail, or martini glass by running a slice of dalandan or dayap onto half of the outer side of the glass and rolling it on some granulated sugar.
Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and add ice. Shake until the surface of the shaker is frosty, and double strain the cocktail mixture into the glass.
Filmed on location at Makati Shangri-La Manila.
Grooming by Gery Penaso for Estée Lauder.
PRODUCTION TEAM
THIRTYSIX-O MEDIA Video Team
KENNETH DIMAANO Post-Production Director
JOMAR SOLANIA Video Editor and Colorist
RENZO LUMANOG Associate Producer
ANTON MOLINA Producer
KIMBERLY ROCHA-DELGADO Writer
ARCADIUS RYBAK Guest Host
KATRINA MONTINOLA Additional Support
JUAN TICZON Additional Support
ENZO SANTOS Photographer
Frequently Asked Questions
The sidecar is a classic cocktail invented around the time of World War I. Harry MacElhone of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris is widely acknowledged as its creator, though he credited Pat MacGarry of Buck’s Club in London in his 1922 edition of The ABC of Cocktails.
Stories vary. One says the person it was first made for always arrived in a sidecar, another says the glass is sugared on only one side, and Dale DeGroff says it references the drink left in the shaker after straining, served on the side in a shot glass.
Arcadius Rybak uses a blend of calamansi, dalandan, and dayap juice, saying it makes the cocktail “a little sweeter, more fruity.” The page describes the result as a Filipino, citrusy twist on the classic, filmed on location at Makati Shangri-La Manila.
The recipe uses 45ml cognac, 30ml triple sec or Cointreau, and 15ml blend of calamansi, dayap, and dalandan juice. The glass is rimmed on half its outer side with a dalandan or dayap slice and sugar, then the drink is shaken until frosty and double strained.
Bar None is Robb Report Philippines’ series on wines, spirits, and cocktails, launched in four parts with mixologist Arcadius Rybak reimagining classics with local ingredients. Earlier episodes covered the Tommy’s Margarita and the Bramble with bignay, and Rybak now leads his own consultancy, Good Vibes Only.